Antirolling apparatus



J. FIEUX ANTIROLLING APPARATUS Dec. 14 19.26

Filed Sept Dec. 14, 1926.- 1,610,853

. JK F lEUX ANTIROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Egg.

Cil

Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

Utili" are JEAN .'EE'UX, OF FARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO SCHNEDER & CIE., 0F PARIS, FRANCE, A. LIMTED JDINT STOC'KCCMPANY OF FRANCE.

ANTIROLLING APEARAIUS.

Application lecl September 24, 1925, Serial No. 58,350, and in France November 18, 19M.

This invention relates to an arrangement for damping the deviations ot gyroscopes employed on board vessels for reducing the amount ot' rolling.

This arrangement enables the eihciency of. anti-rolling gyroscopes of the passive type, which are oi a more simple and robust construction than devices subject to a forced precession, to be increased.

It consists ot a double acting hydraulic brake, .acting upon the precession trunnion ot the gyroscope, that is to say upon the oscillation trunnion Aof the casing ot the rotating mass ot the gyroscope and utilizing the loss of charge ot a liquid flowing through one or more freely open orifices, the section ot which decreases gradually as the deviation occurs in either direction.

The useful etiect is obtained by valve ori lices, the movement ot the closing members of which practically nullities the counterpressure necessary for the re-entry ot the liquid into the brake chambers. In other words, in order that the damping ot' the movement ot procession which the gyroscope is given by the rolling couple shall not be opposed arbitrarily by the counterpressure exerted upon the piston or diaphragm ot the brake on'account ot the flow of liquid behind the piston or diaphragm, the device comprises an arrangement of valves the movement oi which, by assisting the circulation oll the liquid behind the said piston or diaphragm, practically nullilies the said counterpressure.

According to the invention a device is also provided which enables the mean value oir the section ot iiow to be varied, so as to enable the oscillation ot the gyroscopic arrangement to maintain `the largest desirable amplitude,whatever be the state ot the sea and the conditions of loading ot the vessel. By means of this device the displacement ot' one of the members between which the liquid is squeezed is obtained; this displaceniient is eil'ected either by hand or, pref erably, automatically.

The displacement is ettected automatically, tor example, by means ot two electro-motors arranged in such a way that when one oi them is brought into act-ion an increase is produced, while when the other is brought into action a reduction is etected, in the mean section ot flow. An arrangement of switches establishes the tlow of the current supplying the first electromotor, when the oscillating arrangement is in a certain zone oi its mean position relatively to the trame, and the iiow ot the supply current oi' the second electro-motor when the oscillating arm rangement is in the neighbourhood of the extreme positions.

rThe new damping yarrangement combined with the devices described above possesses the advantage ot enabling the anti-rollingI apparatus to develop, under all circumstances, the best mean reaction couple it is capable of providing, in order to check he rolling of the vessel, and to stabilize the hull in a practical manner whenthe state ot the seafmalzes it possible.

Moreover, by allowing the procession, for the same speed ot rolling, to move the oscillating arrangement more rapidly towards its mean position than it moves it away from 'y the latter a connection is produced between this arrangement and the trame, which connection may be compared, in the returning etlects it produces, to spring and counterweight connections, but has not like the latter the disadvantage ot increasing the phase difference between the precession and the rolling.

lt is known that this phase difference also depends upon the inertia of the oscillating arrangement itself and that the `elect ot it is to reduce the mean damping power of thc anti-rolling apparatus. By means of its comparatively weak action at the commencement ot' the deviation, the brake arrangement forming the subject ot the invention enables the speed ot precession to reach its maximum more rapidly, which maximum approaches, in time, the corresponding man- `imum speed ot' rolling; it thus reduces the eiiect of the phase diii'erence between the two damping t'actors.

llVhen the movements ot pitching and turning are likely to attain relatively high angular velocities, particularly in the case ot' small vessels, it is preferable to i'it the new damping arrangement to anti-rolling apparatus comprising two conjugated gyroscopes having opposing processione.

rllhis form ot construction is described hereinafter by way of example, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation ot the arrangement embodying the invention, the

lll() section being taken along the plane of the axes of precession.

Figure 2 is a plan section of the damping arrangement taken along a-a in Fig. 1.

Figure 8 is a side view of the general arrangement of the anti-rolling device, the gyroscope casing being shown partly in section.

Figure l is an outside view of the general arrangement of the apparatus, shown in plan.

Figure 5 is an arrangement diagram of the electrical connections of the automatic controlling arrangement.

An upper tank l forming a cover for a lower tank Q forms, together with two columns 3 and two guides l carried by the latter, the precession frame of two gyroscopes coupled together by means of toothed sectors 5. Each gyroscope comprises a rotating mass V6 mounted upon the shaft of an electric motor 7, and casing 8 carrying the stator of the motor and adapted to oscillate upon the precession frame, by means of trunnions 9 and l0 mounted in ball bearings, about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the mass 6.

The arrangement embodying the invention proper comprises more particularly, preferably for each gyroscope the following members:

The piston or diaphragn of the double acting brake, consists of a butterfly valve member 11 mounted upon an extended portion ofthe trunnion 10 and comprising two blades in each of which is formed an orilice 12 adapted to be closed by a valve 13. The two Valves may be coupled together, that is to say they may be rigidly attached to each other, the whole member formed by them being movable about a pivot 32 carried by the butterfly member 11 and disposed symmetrically between the orifices 1Q. The angle between the two valves rigidly attached together is greater than the angle formed between the planes of the orifices 12, so that when either of these orifices is closed, the other is at'its maximum opening. The butterfly member ll moves without friction in a chamber enclosed above and below by the ends of the lower tank, and bounded on its sides by a fixed partition 11i and two movable partitions 15. Each Vmovable wall is adapted to turn about a shaft- 16 rigidly attached to the frame and situated. practically in alignment with the corresponding blade when the latter has arrived at the end of its damping stroke.

.A transverse shaft 17, turning in supports 18 attached to the frame, controls the symwhich pass the corresponding serewthreaded parts of the shaft 17. rl`his shaft is driven in either' direction by a chain 2l, from another shaft 22 mounted in the frame columns and actuated either' by hand, by means of a hand wheel 23, or automatically by the two electric motors 2l; and Q5 developing opposing couples.

These motors are supplied with current, intermittently, when a. trolley Qf, carried upon one of the casings 8, from which it is insulated, passes over one or the othe ot two conductors 27 and Q8 upon an insulatig crown E29 provided upon the guide ll. il. 'flexible conductor il() (Fig. connects the trolley 26 to one of the terminals of a of voltage 3l, fined to the i me The ce ductor 2( is conne ,ted to the motor which operates the separation of the movable partitions 15, while the conductor 28, is connected to the motor which closes these partitions together.

The anti-rolling device described above must be mounted upon the hull in such a way `that the plane of its axis containing the precession aires is par"l llel to the longitudin nal anis of the vessel. il liquid, which may be a mixture of water and glycerine, occupies the whole space remaining free in the lower tank and reaches a certain level in the upper tank in order to form a reserve and sufficient charge.

ft is welllrnown in the art how the action of any gyroscope of the passive type aids action of the inertia vof the boat itself in opposing the disturbing forces tending to destroy the transverse equilibrium and te produce rolling. It is equally well known that the antagonistic ellect produced by the action of the gyroscope is utilized particularly because the movements of procession of the same are so freely produced.

New the action of the gyroscope is delayed becauseof its own inertia and the pas sive resistance of its suspension means a connection withthe hull, and it will readilj.,Y be seen that the'arrangement of the double actino brake herein described reduces the retardation to a minimum.

"lilith this apparatus, the brake operates with a resistance which, at the start, is practically nothing, being due only to very weal-r liquid resistance, the movement of the member Ill being small. rTherefore, the set tingl in motion of the bro ing apparatus taires .place with great facility, and without preventing the gyroscope from acting as would be the case with the usual system of braking whereof the antagonistic effect, too prolonged at the start, paralyzes the action of the gyroscope. As has already been said, the movement of rolling tends to displace one of the blades of the member 1l toward the fixed wall 14, and the correspondig valve 13 closes at once due to its own iner llt) Liii

' of motor 25.

and the inertia of the displaced liquid; from then on the entire blade 11, 13 acts like a piston against the liquid, which must pass between the wall 15 and the edge of the blade. As before explained, this oriiice has a decreasing cross-section due to the action At the same time the valve 13 of' the other blade 11, which is then closest to wall 1st with the minimum orifice opening between it and the wall, is open, permitting the liquid to reenter freely the chamber between the blade 11 and wall 14, of which the volume increases progressively as precession continues.

Un the braking side of member 11, the orifice decreases progressively7 until practically zero, when the system 11, 13 has reached the maximum angle permitted for the amplitude of precession.

it will be seen that the system assures the ,gyroscope a precession of strictly limited amplitude, theapparatus being now ready to begin aninverse precession, on the effect of a surge or movement of return which the force execises on the ship. N ow as soon as any tendency to such movement is produced, there is a separation between the blade 11 (which until then compressed the liquid) and its valve 13, so that the liquid can freely flow through the orifice 12 thus opened. On the other hand, the orifice 12 of the other blade is immediately closed by the corresponding valve 13.

rlihe return of the gyroscope, from its eX- treme position in one direction, to it-s mean position, in other words a change in the direction of the precession, is therefore made practically without resistance, by the fact that there is a separation between the blade 11 and the corresponding valve 18, which together have constituted a diaphragm, as soon as there appears the least tendency toward change in the direction of precession. ',ihis action of' the valve 13, its separation from blade 11, assures a fiow oriiice or passage with large cross-section, whatever may be` at. that moment, the position of the walls 15 and consequently the value of the mean section of orifice between blade 11 and wall determined by the action of the motors 2li and 25.

Claims?- 1. in anti-rolling apparatus comprising, in combination, gyroscopes of the passive type, and means for controlling the movement of. said gyroscopes including liquid containers, diaphragm members operatively secured to the precession trunnions of said gyroscopes and movable within said containers, and flow orices for passing said liquid around said diaphragm members, said orifices being .formed between said members and the walls of said containers, and being such that their mean section decreases from maximum to minimum when said members are displaced in the direction of precession.

2. in anti-rolling apparatus comprising, in combination, gyroscopes of the passive type, and means for controlling the movement of' said gyroscopes including liquid containers, diaphragm members operatively connected to the precession trunnions of said gyroscopes and movable within said conta-iners, flow orifices between said diaphragm members and the walls of said containers, and means for varying the mean section of said orifices.

3. An anti-rolling apparatus comprising, in combination, gyroscopes of the passive type, and means for controlling the movement of said gyroscopes including substantially circular liquid containers, a pair of diaphragm members in each of said containers, said members being operatively connected to the precession trunnions of said gyroscopes and being rotatable therewith, flow orifices for said liquid formed between the periphery of said diaphragm members and the walls of said containers, and means for movingI said walls to vary the mean section of' said orifices.

11. An anti-rolling apparatus comprising, in conibination, gyroscopes of the passive type, and means for controlling the movement of' said gyroscopes including substantially circular liquid containers, a pair of diaphragm members in each of said containers operatively connected to the precession t-runnions of said gyroscopes and rotatable therewith, valve` means on said diaphragm members adapted to be opera-ted by the pressure of said liquid, means for associating said valve means whereby when one valve is open the other is closed, flow orifices for said liquid formed between the perphery of said diaphragm members and the walls of said containers, and means for movingl said walls lto vary the mean section of said orifices.

5. An anti-rolling apparatus comprising, in combination, a gyroscope of the passive type, and means for controlling the movement of said gyroscope including a substantially circular liquid container having pivot` ally mounted walls, a pair of' diaphragm members rotatably mounted in said con- 'tainer and actuated by the precession trunnion of said gyroscope, valve means on said diaphragm members, flow orifices for said liquid formed between the periphery of said members and the wails of said container` and means including electric motors actuated by the precession trunnions of said gyroscope for moving said walls to vary the section of said orifices.

6. In apparatus or the class described includinO a gyroscope, hydraulic means for controlling the precession of said gyroscope comprising a. substantially circular liquid chamber having movable walls, a pair of diaphragm members rotatable in said container and actuated by the precession ot said g'yroscope, valve means on said niemlz-ers adapted to be opera-ted by ,liquid pressure' and so associated that When one is closed the other' is open, flow orifices between the peripheryv ot said members and said Walls, and means lor moving said walls including electric motors actuated by the preceesion of said gyroscope whereby the section ot said orifices is decreased as the precession reaches a predetermined Yamplitude in either direction andincreased when said. fj-,'ioscope reaches its central position.

QT. ln apparatus or 4the class described including a gyroscope, the combination ot a hydraulic brake operatively connected to the precessioii trunnion or' said fgyroscope and electrically operated means actuated by the procession ot said gyro'scope :tor -i aereasingl the resistance ot said brake as said precession vprogresses in either direction ltroni the center.

8. ln apparatus of the class vdescribed including` a gyroscope, the combination of a hydraulic brake mechanism having liquid ioiv oriices and being` operatively connected to the piecession tiuiinion oi said gyroscope, and electrically actuated means controlled b y the precession of said gyroscope for varying the section of said oriices whereby the resistance ot said brake is increased as said procession progresses iii either direction from the center and is decreased as the gyro.A scope pauses through its central position.

9. lin apparatus ot the .class described including a gyroscope, a hydraulic lbrake mechanism operatively connected to gryrosccpe, said mechanism having` liquic. viioiv ori-iices@ valve means regulating` said oi'iiices to voppose hydraulic pressure to move- -inent ot' .sa-id vineclianisin in either direction .and to relieve said pressure at the instant olf remiisingv sii-ch motion, `and means regulating the nrcan Section oi" :aid orihce:` in accordance with the amplitude of precession of said gyrosccpe.

l0. In apparatus et' the class described luana` a gyroscoge` a double-acting hybrake mechanism operatively coi.- cted to a tiniinioii .ot said gyroscope, said mechanism havingv a plurality ci liquid iow Vicesa valve moans fior said' orifices adapted close during` movement ot said mechanism in eithcrdirection and to operi at the instant the direction of movement is reversed, and means regulating the mean section oit said oriiices iii accordance with Vthe amplitude ot fprecession.

in testimony whereof I have signed this speciiication.

JEAN FIEUX. 

